I am an emeritus professor from Cornell University and was a Commissioned Lay Preacher in the Presbyterian Church (USA). For many years I have followed the Daily Lectionary as printed in the Mission Yearbook of my church. For each day of a two-year cycle, the lectionary lists four psalms and three other scriptural passages--usually one from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. My practice is to copy down a verse or two from one of the psalms and from each of the other three passages. After I have written out all four selections, I reflect upon them, rearrange their order, and incorporate them into a meditation. Sometimes I retain much of the original wording; sometimes all that remains of a selection is an idea that was stimulated when I read the original words. All selections are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. For the Daily Lectionary, see the link below.

When We Meet to Break Bread--Nov. 3, 2013


 You who search out our path and our lying down,
you, God, are acquainted with all our ways.

You know that we must have food to stay alive--
and how little we share with the starving.

You know that we are preoccupied with our own welfare
and how meager is our trust in your loving care.

Teach us, O God, what a blessing it is to have food
 and to break bread in fellowship with friends.

And teach us how to share our food with the hungry,
for that is a part of striving for your kingdom.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 103; 150; 117; 139
Neh. 5:1-9
Acts 20:7-12
Luke 12:22-31

Selected Verses

Ps. 139:3
You search out my path and my lying down,
          and are acquainted with all my ways.

Neh. 5:2
For there were those who said, "With our sons and our daughters, we are many; we must get grain, so that we may eat and stay alive.  …"

Acts 20:7a
On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul was holding a discussion with [his friends]…

Luke 12:31
Instead, strive for [God's] kingdom, and [what you are to eat and drink] will be given to you as well.  …"  [Jesus to his disciples]

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